The program seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to pursue graduate studies in the arts, humanities or social sciences. Suckstorff is one of only 20 scholars from more than 100 undergraduate institutions chosen for the award nationwide. Each scholar receives $4,000 immediately prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 while attending graduate school.

Suckstorff, a history major with a minor in Italian, is proficient in both Italian and Latin. Her research interest focuses on Christianity in the Renaissance -- a time of renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. Although graduate study plans are not yet confirmed, Suckstorff intends to spend time in Italy before seeking a doctorate in history or religious studies.

Suckstorff is a Leopold Scholar, a Kaplan Humanities Scholar and has twice received the Joseph Clyde Murley Prize for undergraduate excellence from the Weinberg College. She has served as academic chair of Willard Residential College and president of the Northwestern women's club tennis team.

As a Leopold Scholar, Suckstorff works as a research assistant transcribing a medieval manuscript under Robert Lerner, professor emeritus of history and the Peter B. Ritzma Professor in the Humanities. "I taught at Northwestern for almost 40 years, and I never had an undergraduate research assistant perform scholarship at Hana's level," said Lerner.

"It is not unusual for undergraduates to fall in love with Renaissance Italy," said Edward Muir, the Clarence L. Ver Steeg Professor in the Arts and Sciences and the Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence. "What is unusual, however, is to find someone willing to learn all the skills necessary to do work in the field."

The Beinecke Scholarship Program was established in 1971 by the board of directors of The Sperry and Hutchinson Company to honor Edwin, Frederick and Walter Beinecke. The board created an endowment to provide substantial scholarships for the graduate education of young men and women of exceptional promise.